Yarn feed control means for textile machines



Oct. 16, 1945. P. J. THOMAS YARN FEED CONTROL MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1944 H HH P. J. THOMAS Oct. 16, .1945.

YARN FEED CONTROL MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. Y 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 16, 1945.

P. J. THOMAS YARN FEED CONTROL MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l E- ICU 1012106,

Oct. 16, 1945. P. J. THOMAS 2,386,822

YARN FEED CONTROL MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 atentecl Oct. 16, 1945 YARN FEED CONTROL MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Pacific J. Thomas, Wyoming, Pa", assignor to U. S. Textile Machine Company, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 4, 1944, Serial No. 516,945

Claims.

This invention relates to textile machines, such as the yarn twisting and winding machines of the type commonly referred to in the trade as up-twisters; and more particularly to means arranged to maintain such machines at high operating and output efilciency during the twisting and winding of certain yarns which have a tendency to break when subjected to the normal, or usual, operations and conditions of such machines.

Standard yarn twisting and winding machines of the referred to type usually comprise a long frame structure along both sides of which are mounted in superimposed relationship multiple rows of similar yarn twisting and winding units. The rows of units along one side of the machine are arranged back-to-back relative to the rows of units along the other side of the machine. Each of the individual units comprises a vertically positioned spool which is rotated on a twister spindle and from which the yarn is drawn upwardly and wound onto a horizontally positioned take-up roll, or bobbin, which derives its rotary movement by direct frictional engagement with a revolving driving drum.

In practice it has been found that when certain of the more modern yarns, such as combination rayon and acetate yarns, are twisted and wound on the referred to machines, the operating and output efiiciency of the latter is considerably decreased. This is attributed to the fact that when such yarns move from the twister spools to the take-up rolls the percentage of yarn breakage is considerably higher than in the case of the older or sturdier type yarns. When the yarns break, the free yarn ends wrap themselves about the trunnions of the take-up rolls or bobbins, and the resultant yarn wastage from this cause has been found to range in the order of fifteen percent. The work and time required to again put such a unit in'running order involves further diiiiculties and losses.

The said relatively higher percentage of yarn breakage is also partly attributed to the fact that the referred to standard machines are not equipped to properly tension certain types of yarn and are devoid of means for making tension adjustments adapted to the characteristics of the various yarns fed to the take-up rolls at different times.

One object of my invention is to provide novel means for machines of the referred to type which is adapted toeliminate the said yarn wastage, and to minimize, or entirely eliminate the mentioned and other difficulties and losses.

- Another object is to provide such means which is adapted to efiect immediate disconnection of the take-up roll from the driving drum of all the respective twisting and winding units where breakage of the yarn occurs.

A further object is to provide such means comprising a novel device for effecting the said disconnection of the take-up roll from the driving drum.

An additional object is. to provide such means comprising a selectively operable control arrangement which cooperates with the individual takeup roll disconnecting devices-of one or more complete rows of twisting and winding units, and which functions to simultaneously place all the devices in active or inactive relationship with respect to the take-up rolls.

Another object is to provide such means with a control arrangement as indicated, which can be operated at one or more points along the machine.

It is also an object to provide such means comprising a selectively adjustable yarn tensioning device adapted to simultaneously cooperate with the yarn breakage detector elements of a complete row of the individual take-up roll disconnecting units, so as to provide a yarn control arrangement which can be set for best-results in accordance with the characteristics of the various yarns fed to the take-up rolls at different times.

Another object is to provide such means which can be readily added to, or initially embodied in machines of the indicated character so as to impart thereto the mentioned and other structural and functional features of advantage.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more apparent from the following detailed description of certain practical and illustrative embodiments of my improvements, shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention comprises the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly definedby the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a partial cross-sectional view through a standard yam twisting and winding machine of the so-called up-twister type, having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 2-2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, with certain parts broken away and others added.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 4-4 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail' sectional view,

takenas indicated by the arrows 5-5 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, but in a different position.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows l-I on Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of Fig. l, as seen by looking at the latter from the right.

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary views of certain parts of my invention shown in Fig. 1, and illustrate said parts in different positions.

Fig. 11 is a partial sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows li-il on Fig. 9-

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of the right end portion of Fig. 1, with certain parts broken or omitted.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows l3-I3 on Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12, but with certain parts broken away and others shown in another position.

In the drawings only those parts of a standard yarn twisting and winding machine of the "up-twister" type are shown as are necessary to a disclosure and understanding of my invention. For further information concerning the construction and operation of such machines, reference may be had to the various pertinent catalogs and other literature published for distribution by the U. S. Textile Machine Co., of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and other manufacturers of such machines.

The usual and well-known parts of each individual yarn twisting and winding machine unit include a yarn supply spool 20 mounted on and rotated with a twister spindle 2|, and a. take-up roll or bobbin 22 which is operated by direct frictional engagement with a driving drum 23. The twister spindle 2| and driving drum 23 are continuously rotated at certain predetermined twisting and winding speeds. The yarn Y is drawn upwardly from the spool 20 through an eye formed on a selectively positionable wire 24, over a fixed guide roll 25, through a yarn guide 26 to the surface of the take-up roll 22. The yarn guide 26 is arranged at the upper end of an arm 21 fixed on a traversing rod 23 which extends lengthwise of the machine and is reciprocated in roller bearings 29 by the usual mechanism, not shown. Reciprocation of the guide 26 effects the laying of the yarn Y on the takeup roll 22 in desired order.

The parts so far described are present in each individual machine unit, and are consequently repeated throughout the machine in accordance with the number of units which make up each lengthwise extending row, and the number of such similar juxtaposed rows arranged, as usual, so that the units are readily accessible along opposite sides of the machine. Fig. 1 of the drawings more particularly discloses this double row arrangement of the units, and while the following description is directed to a single unit, it will be understood that the same provisions are made in connection with each unit-in said double row arrangement, as indicated by the application of similar reference characters in each instance. Throughout the drawings, the unit to the right in Fig. 1 is shown in detail, and will consequently be mainly referred to in the following descripwith my invention, each of the of the machine has assomeans for the take-up roll 22, which generally comprises a pair of bell-crank levers 32 and 33. pivotally connected to a substantially U-shaped support or frame member 34, at 35 and 36, and joined for united movement about said pivots by a crossbar 31 fixedly secured to the front ends of the levers 32 and 33. The support 34 is mounted on a longitudinally extending beam 34 and is provided with a pair of opposed vertically extending channels 33 in which the trunnions of the take-up roll 22 are arranged to be mounted for free rotation and vertical movement as the diameter of the roll increases by application of the yarn.

Mounted crosswise between the rear arms of the bell-crank levers 32 and 33 is a plate 39 which is arranged for limited movement along the periphery of the drivingdrum 23 from a position shown in Fig. 12, i. e., rearwarclly of the contact point of the drum 23 and take-up roll 22, to a position effecting lifting of the latter, as shown in Fig. 14. The rear edge portion of plate 39 is turned about a rod 40 the ends of which are adapted to freely ride in aligned slots 41, one of which is provided in each of the rear arms of the bell-crank levers 32 and 33. When the bell crank levers 32 and 33 move about their pivots 35 and 39 in a forward or clockwise direction, the front cam-shaped portion of plate 39 is moved between the drum 23 and take-up roller 22 thereby lifting the latter out of driving contact with the drum 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. This movement of the plate 39 takes place whenever the yarn Y breaks while traveling from the supply spool 23 to the take-uproll 22, as effected by the means, and in the manner, next described.

Fixed to the central portion of the cross-bar 31 is a yarn breakage detector device comprising a vertically extending wire or rod 42, the lower end of which is provided with a yarn guide element or eye 42' through which the yarn Y passes on its way from the supply spool 20 to the take-up roll 22. The tension or pull of the yarn Y has a tendency to move the yarn guide eye 42 to the position shown in Fig. 12. and to maintain it there as long as the yarn is being fed upwardly to the take-up roll 22. In other words, as long as the yarn is under the normal feeding tension, the element 42' will be held by the yarn in the said position. When the yarn breaks, however, the element 42' will immediately be released, and, due to the gravitational force acting to move the united bell-crank levers 32 and 33 in a clockwise direction, will effect the aforementioned clockwise movement of the plate 33, to the position shown in Fig. 14.

When the front edge of plate 39 moves between the take-up roll 22 and the drum 23, the rotational force of these two revolving elements will immediately exert a pull upon the plate 39 and thereby assist in moving it forward to its ultimate position shown in Fig. 14, determined by abutment of the wire 42 with a rod 43, which extends lengthwise of the machine and occupies the same positionrelative to the wires 42 of all the stop motion devices. As soon as the take-up roll 22 is lifted clear of contact with the driving drum 23, the portion of the plate 39 on which the take-up roll 22 rests, will act as a frictional brake to overcome the spinning action of the take-up roll.

when the winding machine is stopped for motor repairs, at the end of a certain operating period, or for some other reason, it is desirable that the various parts comprising the described means for stopping the take-up roll 22, be maintained in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 12. Otherwise, the slack developed in the yarn between the supply spool 20 and take-up roll 22, during the time that the machine is standing idle. would have a tendency to bring about an undesirable movement of the plate 35 to a position toward or between the take up roll 22 and driving drum 23, and this would be detrimental at the time the machine is again set in motion.

In order that the parts of the said stop motion means may be maintained in fixed position at the indicated times, the rod 43 is mounted so that it may be positioned to prevent the described movement of the wire 42. For this purpose, the rod 43 has its ends secured to the upper sections of a pair of similar levers 44, each of which is located beyond one of the opp site ends of a row of yarn winding and twisting units. The levers 44 are secured to a rod or rods 45 by set screws 44- (see Fig. 8) between two wall sections of a crosswise extending frame 46, in turn secured to longitudinally extending machine beams ll. One of the said wall sections is provided with an arcuate slot 56 through which the rod 43 extends and in which it is free to move during adjustment. The ends of the rods 45 are rotatably mounted in apertures 45 of awall section of the frame structure 56. The upper and lower ends of the levers 44 are bifurcated, and by referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that each pair of the levers 44 at one end of the machine, is united for opposed movement by a connecting rod 48, the ends of which are secured in adjustable mountings 49 and 50,

one of which is pivotally arranged in the lower bifurcated end of a lever 44 located at one side of the machine, and the other is pivotally arranged in the upper bifurcated end of a duplicate lever 44 located at the opposite side of the machine. The adjustable mounting 48 has a section through which extends a bearing bore 49- for a lever operating rod 5! provided with a threaded portion 5 I in engagement with the threaded bore of an element 52 pivotally mounted in the lower bifurcated end of the lever 46 on the left side of the machine as seen in Fig. 1. The lever operating rod 5| has cranks 53 secured to its opposite ends, by suitable means, such as pins. The lever operating rod 5! is also provided with an annular groove 5| b in which is seated a ring element 54 arranged to prevent movement of the mounting 49 along the rod 5| to the left as seen in Fig. 7. Since the crank 53 adjacent to the mounting 4.9 is fixed to the rod 5|, it will be understood that the section of the mounting 49 through which the rod 5| passes and in which it is free to rotate, is positionally confined between the ring element 54 and the crank 53 when the rod 5| moves in a longitudinal direction.

By turning one of the cranks 53 in one direction, the element 52 will be moved along the threaded portion 5|- of the nod 5| so as to effect a balanced movement of the lower ends of the levers 44 toward each other. This movement may be continued until the rods 43, secured to the upper sections of the levers 44, are positioned directly adjacent to, or in contact with, the wires 42. It will be understood, of course, that the duplicate mechanism for operating the rods 43, at the other end of the machine, will be actuated in synchronism with the mechanism just referred to, so that both ends of the rods 43 will be simultaneously advanced to the said position directly adjacent to, or in contact with the wires 42. When both of the rods 43 are so located, the wires 42, and the associated parts of the pre- Fig. 9) is provided in the frame 46 for the screw viously described stop motion mechanism will be maintained in inoperative position, i. e., all the stop motion mechanisms of all the yarn winding and twisting units along both sides of the machine will be so maintained.

When it is desired to again put the yarn winding and twisting machine in operation, one of the crank 53 on each of the rods 5| of the duplicate rod operating mechanisms is turned in the opposite direction to that previously indicated, thereby effecting simultaneous movement of the rods 43 away from the wires 42, to the position substantially as shown in Fig. L.

As already indicated, my invention also comprehends a yarn tensioning means which can be adjusted for best results in accordance with the characteristics of the various yarns fed to the take-up rolls 22 at different times. This yarn tensioning means is arranged in cooperative relationship with the yarn guide elements 42 of the yarn breakage detector means which operates the stop motion mechanisms for the take-up rolls 22 By referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10 and 11, it will be seen that a lever or plate 55 is contactingly arranged against a flat wall section of the frame structure 46, which plate has a lateral bearing member or extension 56 rotatably arranged in an aperture of the said wall section. The bearing member 56 is provided with a bore 51 through which passes the rod 45 to the ends of which two of the levers 44 are secured. Since the rod 45 is rotatably mounted in the bearing aperture 44 of the wall sections of the frame structure 46 opposite to that against which the plate 55 rests, and the said rod 45 is of smaller diameter than the bore 51, it will be apparent that the plate 55 is pivotally mounted on the frame 45 and free of contact with the rod 45.

The plate 55 is provided with an arcuate slot 58 through which passes the shank of a stud screw 59 secured in a threaded aperture 6! of the frame 48. The screw 59 is arranged as shown to lock the plate 55 against the frame 46 in selected position, and a second threaded aperture 62 (see 59, so that the latter may be secured therein whenever it is desired to increase the range of the said selected positions of the plate 55, as illustrated by Fig. 10.

- Fixed in the lower end of the plate 55 is a yarn tension rod 53, the other end of which is secured in a duplicate plate 55 similarly mounted and arranged beyond the other end of the row of yarn winding and twisting units of the machine. The yarn Y, on its way from the yarn supply spool 20, passes through an eye formed at the upper end of yarn guide wire 24, around the tension rod 53, through the yarn guide element 42, over guide roll 25, through yarn guide 26 to the takeup roll 22.

From Figs. 9 and 10, it will be clear that the plates 55 can be freed for limited rotary movement by slightly loosening the screws 59. The position of the tension rod 63 can then be selectively varied between the yarn guide eye of the Wire 24 and the yarn guide eye 42 to attain any desired degree of tension on the yarn Y. Thereafter, the plates 55 can again be fixed in position by t ghtening the screws 59. i It will also be apparent that the relative adjustment for tension- 'ing the yarn, which is afforded by this cooperative arrangement between the yarn breakage detector means and the tension rod 63, provides a highly sensitive combination yarn tensioning and quick acting stopping means for the take-up roll 22.

Of course, the improvements shown and described can be hanged and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and more particularly defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a driving drum, 9. yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with.the latter, an element arrangement to be inserted between the drum and roll to effect disconnection thereof, yarn breakage detector means arranged to control the action of said element, and selectively movable means adapted to be positioned so as to prevent insertion of said element between said drum and roll.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a driving drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, a pivotally mounted device one end of which is provided with means for detecting breakage of the yarn being fed to said roll and the other end of which is provided with means arranged to eifect disconnection of the roll from the drum, and adjustable yarn tensioning means cooperatively associated with said means for detecting breakage of the yarn.

3. An apparatus of the character describedcomprising a driving drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, means for detecting breakage of the yarn being fed to said roll, an element arranged to move the roll so as to disconnect it from the drum, selectively movable means adapted tobe positioned so as to prevent said element from moving the roll so as to disconnect it from the drum, and adjustable yarn tensioning means cooperatively associated with said means for detecting breakage of the yarn.

4. An apparatus of the character described including a plurality of similar units each comprising a driving drum, a yarn take-up r011 arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, an element arranged to be inserted between the drum and roll to effect disconnection thereof, and yarn breakage detector'means arranged to control the action of said element; and selectively movable means adapted to be positioned so as to simultaneously prevent the said element of each unit from being inserted between the drum and roll of its respective unit.

5. An apparatus of the character described including a plurality of similar units each comprising a driving drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, an element arranged to be inserted between the drum and roll to effect disconnection thereof, and yarn breakage detector means arranged to control the action of said element; and selectively movable means arranged to be operated at a plurality of points along the apparatus and positioned so as to simultaneously prevent the said element of each unit from being inserted between the drum and roll of its respective unit. a

6. An apparatus of the character described including a plurality of similar units each comprising a driving drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, an element arranged to be inserted between the drum and roll to eiIect disconnection thereof, and yarn breakage detector means arranged to control the action of said element; and selectively movable means adapted to be positioned so as to simultaneously prevent the said element of each unit from being inserted between the drum and roll of its respective unit including an operating rod extending crosswise of the apparatus and arranged so that its ends are accessible for ma.- nipulation at the opposite sides of the apparatus.

7. In a winding machine of the fup-twister" type the combination of a plurality of similar units each including a driving drum, a'yarn takeup roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, an element arranged to be inserted between the drum and roll to eiiect disconnection thereof, and yarn breakage detector means arranged to control the action of said element; and means adapted to simultaneously prevent the said element of each unit from being inserted between the drum and roll of its respective unit including a rod extending lengthwise of the machine and arranged so as to be moved into engagement with the breakage detector means and a rotatable rod operating member adapted to selectively move the rod.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination with a plurality of rows of similar units each of which units comprises a driving drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, and a device arranged to efl'ect disconnection of the roll and drum; of selectively movable means arranged to cooperate with all the devices of all the rows of units so as to simultaneously render the devices active or inactive.

9. In a winding machine of the .up-tw'ister" type the combination with two juxtaposed rows of similar units each of which units comprises a driving drum,'a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, and a device arranged to eifect disconnection of the roll and drum; of selectively movable means arranged to cooperate with all the devices of both rows of units so as to simultaneously render the devices active or inactive.

10. In a winding machine of the up-twister" type the combination with two rows of similar units arranged along opposite sides of the machine each of which units comprises a drivin drum, a yarn take-up roll arranged to be frictionally connected with the latter, and a device arranged to eflect disconnection of the roll and drum; of two selectively movable elements each arranged to cooperate-with the devices of one row of units so as to simultaneously render the devices active or inactive, and a single operating member for moving said elements in unison.

PACIFIC J. THOMAS. 

